1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an assembly to stabilize individuals while seated in a wheelchair or other support structure such that predetermined portions of a user's body which are primarily involved in an exercise being performed are stabilized and maintained in an operative position necessary to correctly perform the exercise.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's fast paced society, exercise has become an increasingly important part of many individuals' lives. It is well established that a regular exercise program in addition to a proper diet serve to increase the ones overall health and facilitate the ability to follow an active, full rounded lifestyle. In an effort to take advantage of a significant part of the population being involved in regular exercise programs, industries involved with exercise apparatus and devices have made available a plurality of different exercise machines, apparatus, procedures, programs etc. to aid the average individual in accomplishing a full range of exercise in order to benefit the entire body.
Clearly, the vast majority of known, commercially available exercise machines and like assemblies are designed, structured and configured for the average, active individual who has full use of his or her body. However, in fairly recent times it has been recognized that physically restricted individuals, including the elderly as well as invalids, also significantly benefit from a regular exercise program. Exercise programs for such restricted individuals have been modified to suit specialized needs due in part to the fact that both the active and relatively inactive portions of an individual's body benefit from regular exercise. Similarly, individuals who have reached an advanced age may have lost partial or efficient use of certain parts of the body such as the joints associated with the legs, hips, arms, etc. It has also been determined that elderly individuals of the type described also significantly benefit from a continued and appropriate exercise program which serves to increase the range of motion of the various parts of the individual's body as well as improving ones overall fitness profile.
However, for invalids, the elderly and other select groups of individuals, it is necessary or more comfortable to perform at least some of the individual exercises of a predetermined exercise program while being seated. In the case of certain traumatically injured or otherwise restricted individuals, it may be required to perform the intended exercise program from a wheelchair or other support structure. As such, the individual is capable of a certain degree of mobility and independence while being able to maintain in a comfortable, seated orientation.
In order to facilitate the exercise of individuals, while in a seated position, wheelchairs and like support structures, as well as the exercise assemblies and/or apparatus have been customized by including certain structural modifications not typically found in corresponding exercise apparatus used by individuals having a full and unfettered range of motion of their body parts. By way of example, modified exercise bicycles or a similar category of structures, are known and commercially available, wherein both active and inactive parts of a user's body may be exercised. Similarly, treadmill like structures are available which have been structurally modified to adapt the use thereof to individuals having a restricted field of motion of at least certain body parts. Similarly, some treadmill-like roller arrangements are specifically designed and structured to be used in combination with wheelchairs and include a specialized wheelchair support disposed above or in a predetermined orientation relative to the supporting frame of the treadmill. In addition, certain wheelchairs have been modified from a substantially conventional structural configuration, which enables their use with various types of customized or conventional exercise apparatus.
Accordingly, while structural and operational modifications, of the type generally set forth above, are assumed to be at least partially suited for their intended function, the majority of such structural modifications must be adaptive with other known or specialized exercise assemblies in order for an exercise program to be performed. Clearly, customization of the type referred to is expensive, not widely available in the market place and oftentimes involves a restriction of the normal function or performance of wheelchairs or like support structures as originally intended.
Accordingly, there is a significant and long established need in this area for an assembly which facilitates the stabilization of an individual while performing exercise in a seated position. Further, such an assembly, if developed, should overcome the problems and deficiencies of equipment presently available, such as generally set forth above. Most preferably, a stabilization assembly of the type referred to should allow a restricted individual to perform a variety of different and appropriate exercises using both the active and inactive portions of the user's body, if desired. Moreover, such a preferred stabilizing assembly should allow a physically restricted individual to exercise using substantially conventional and commercially available exercise equipment thereby avoiding the cost and other disadvantages associated with use of exercising apparatus customized for physically restricted individuals. Also, the various structural and operative components of a preferred stabilizing assembly should be easy to use, install and assemble, thereby allowing the restricted individual to perform intended and appropriate exercise programs in a manner which does not significantly depend on others. Finally, a preferred assembly of the type used to stabilize seated individuals while exercising, should be comfortable and comprise a structural integrity which would render the assembly available at a reasonable cost while being operative over an extended operable life.